No. 166.]

[Price 1s; or, with Index, 3s 6d. Large Paper, impl. 8vo. with Index and 22 facsimiles, hf. bd. 21s.]

BERNARD QUARITCH'S

CATALOGUE:

EXAMPLES OF THE ART OF BOOK-BINDING

EXAMPLES

OF THE

ART OF BOOKBINDING

AND

VOLUMES BEARING MARKS OF
DISTINGUISHED OWNERSHIP

(Preceded by the First of all Printed Books)

Fortieth line: cele-
Col. 2 ingressi: aliud

1 MAZARINE BIBLE. Pa. 1, col. 1: Incipit epistola sancti
iheronimi ad paulinum presbiterum de omnibus | diuine
historie libris capitulu pmu. | [F]Rater ambrosius | tua
michi munus: | cula pferens
brandüqz miraclm. ut vrbē tantā.
extra vrbem quererent. . Fortieth line: eschineus
legeretur. Pa. 10, col. 1: Et factu ē vespe.. Forty-first
line: et mali.. Col. 2: die comederis.. Pa. 11, col. 1:
deditq3 viro suo .. Forty-second line: Fecit quoq3 dns

deus. . Pa. 648: laudet dnm. Alla. Pa. 649:
[JJungat epistola quos iugit sacerdoti | um . .
Pa. 1282,
col. 2, line 42: bz vobis amē.

A complete and very fine copy of the first issue of the book,
divided into 2 vols. folio, 641 leaves in double columns (with
forty lines to each column of the first nine pages, forty-one
on the tenth, and forty-two throughout the rest of the book);
blue morocco, apparently by Thouvenin

[Mentz, 1450-55] 4000 0 0

THE FIRST BOOK PRINTED IN EUROPE, as has been sufficiently
demonstrated a year or two ago by the learned Dziatzko, who, until
he made his exhaustive comparison of the accessible copies of the
Mentz and the Bamberg Bibles, had been inclined, like some others,
to regard the latter as the earlier.

These precious volumes belonged, in and before 1471, to Johann
Vlyegher, a perpetual beneficed priest in Utrecht Cathedral. At the
end of each is a testamentary declaration signed by "Johannes
Roveri," public notary of Utrecht, that Vliegher had, in his presence,
and before two witnesses (whose names are given), bequeathed these
two volumes of the whole Bible, printed and written down, to be
perpetually chained up in the Convent of St. Mary, at Zuzac, near
Amersford.
As all this is dated from Vliegher's dwelling, it is
evident that he was either dying or believed to be in that state.

At the end of each volume a leaf is added (probably by Debure
when sending the book for binding), which gives a facsimile of the
two famous inscriptions by the rubricator in the copy in the Bibl.
Nationale, from which it was first made known in the last century
that this was the Bible of 1450-55.

2

710

QUARITCH'S CATALOGUE OF BINDINGS.

I. English and Scottish Bindings.

£ s. d.

Reading Abbey, A.D. 1150-60:
2 HIERONYMUS IN PROPHETAS. Fol. 1: ncipit liber explanationum
beati Ieronimi presbyteri super Naum. Folio, MS. ON VELLUM
written in a beautiful round English hand, leaning a little backwards,
two columns to each page, 44 lines to each column; a few leaves torn
away; in the original boards covered with white leather About 1150-60 30 0 0
The leather outside looks, at first sight, like vellum, but where it turns over inside
the board one sees that it is tough but not very hard whitish hide. It is curious how
little change took place in the methods of English monastic binding between 1150 and
1450. The only noticeable difference is that at the more ancient period the thongs
which fastened the bands to the boards ran much further in through the wood before
they emerged again, than they did at the later time. Also at the earlier date the
boards were thicker, and a tongue of leather from the back was allowed to lap loosely
a little way over the top and bottom edges.

The provenance of this volume is easily ascertained. It is one of a number of
books which in 1745 belonged to James Bowen (and upon all of which he wrote his
name). They were all of the same age and style (both as to calligraphy and binding),
and some of them bore the original letterings and records of ownership,—all having
been written in Reading Abbey between 1140 and 1170.

Haughmond Abbey, A.D. 1200:

3 ISIDORUS HISPALENSIS de Summo Bono-ALQUINUS de Sapientia
-2 parts in 1 vol. small folio, MS. ON VELLUM by a single English hand,
84 leaves in quires of eight, written in bold round characters, 31 long lines
to each page; in the original binding
About 1200

This is a very plain and simple covering of white decrskin over very thick oak
boards. The linings which are used to cover the overlapping ends of the deerskin
are portion of a Latin MS. written by an Irish hand, and in Irish characters, in the
earlier part of the twelfth century, which must have been brought from Ireland to
Haughmond Abbey, in Shropshire, before the end of that century. They were then
cut up and used in the binding, which we may consider as having been performed in
that Abbey about the year 1200.-The only alternative would be to consider that the
book had been written in England, carried to Ireland by one of the ecclesiastics who
accompanied Strongbow, bound there, and brought back a century later to be presented
to the Abbey in Shropshire. Whichever be the true theory, there is an inscription on
the top of the first page, written about 1270-80: "Liber est ecclesie S. Johis apli et
ewangeliste de Hagemon."

There is no ornamentation on the cover. The sides were pumiced and thinned, and polished till they looked like parchment, but the back was left rough and thick, as we still see it, and a tongue of stronger leather added at the top and bottom of the back as a protection for the edges. These still remain. The bands are only noticeable by their projection under the loose leather of the back, which is not tightly glued at the points of contact. The book is an example of early binding in the British Isles, whether it was done in Dublin in 1170-80, or in Shropshire about 1200.

Battle Abbey, 1450:

4 THE BRUT CHRONICLE. Fol. 1: Here may a man heren how Eng-
londe was first callyd Albyon. . Last page: . . How the Kynge
held hys Parlement at Westmestyr (1445)

sold

Small folio, MS. ON VELLUM written by or for John Nuton (Abbat of
Battle in 1463), wanting a leaf at the end; in the original binding,
somewhat damaged
About 1450 50 0 0

Oak boards covered with a leather or skin which is whitish outside, but of which
the overlapping parts that are fastened down inside the board show that it was coloured
red or reddish. The methods of the binder are visible at both ends and on the back;
and notwithstanding the damage it has undergone, this volume is interesting as a
specimen of binding executed in Battle Abbey between 1450 and 1463. The Abbat's
name as owner is written on the flyleaves and margins in several places after his
elevation to the dignity. One of these notes was written by John Witsam.-Another
monk of the same period was MICHAELL ROY, who has written some bars of MUSIC
on the end leaf.

London, 1450-60:

5 SARUM PSALTER AND PRIMER, 2 vols. in 1, small
folio, MSS. ON VELLUM written in red and black, WITH

£ 8. d.

ILLUMINATED BORDERS and a great number of gilt and
coloured initials; in the original binding About 1430-40 100 0 0

Bound in or near London in oak boards covered with rough white
doeskin, unornamented; this covering being in perfect condition with
the stitching at head and foot still unbroken. The strong bands on the
back make bold ridges in the doeskin, although the latter is apparently
unfastened to them.

The MS. is one of great interest, containing as it does an exceptionally large quantity of prayers in English,-marking the advance towards a vernacular prayerbook.

The use is Sarum, the locality may be regarded as London; a
conjecture which is strengthened by a note in the calendar showing
that the writer was in or close to London in 1510. It is an entry on
the 17th August :-Mr. eston and Mr. Dudlei ware beheded this day
Ao. 1510 at x of clok it was uppon the saturday.

With the engraved bookplate of Thomas Phillips of Ickford,
Bucks (about 1770).

Henry VII (1505):

6 INDENTURE MADE BETWEEN THE MOOST XPIEN AND MOOST EXCELLENT PRINCE KING HENRY THE VIITH.. and Thomas Silkestede Priour of the Cathedral Church of Sainct Swithunis of Wynchestre ..

Small folio, THE ORIGINAL COUNTERPART MS. partly in Latin, but for the most part in English, written on 18 pages of VELLUM, with gilt initials, and having on the first page a broad illuminated border with the Tudor rose, the portcullie, and foliage-ornament; in the Tudor binding executed for the King

About 1505

Oak boards covered with stamped leather which is still in fine condition. The ornamentation is in blind tooling. The sides are ruled down and across with rows of triple lines, which form nine rectangular compartments. The centre is occupied by the Tudor rose surrounded by an arabesque decoration of vine branches. (The heart of the rose is granulated.) In four compartments, there is a cinquefoil enclosed by a circle within a square; and in the other four, a fleur-de-lis within a square. This is considered to be the design which Pinson used. The back has no decoration beyond the ruling which outlines four bands. The flyleaves are of plain vellum.

The illumination of the first page is thus effected. On a ground of blue dotted with gold, the initial T is painted bronze gold in a flowery Gothic form (like T) and encloses within its arms the portcullis painted gold with a greenish tint. Above it, on a bright yellow gold ground, is the Tudor rose, crimson with gold lights and gold heart, and having a slight stem with green thorns and leaves. On the left of the T begins the border which is continued upward, then turns to the right, meeting and embracing the gold ground of the rose. The border exhibits two large stems of wreathy conventional foliage of bronzed gold upon a crimson or lake ground.

In 1503 the same Prior and Convent had agreed to say a special set of prayers for the King at every mass, and this new document was to confirm and extend the practice. In consideration of releasing the convent from all royal claims or fines on the acquisition of benefices and lands by the Priors of St. Swithins, they now bound themselves to a perpetual observance of the custom, and to keep on praying for King Henry VII for ever; each successive Prior to swear to it at his accession, and to read the Indenture aloud to his Convent.-This was the copy to be kept in perpetuum for the purpose, and to serve as the model. Consequently it is not signed, and has no other date than that of the recited Latin document of 1503, but it is of course clear that it must be the counterpart of the one signed between 1503 and 1508. It was bound by the royal binder and kept in Winchester, until the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII.

The text of the offices is given in the recital of the 1503 agreement.

With Henry VIII's Insignia :

7 AULUS GELLIUS. A. GELLIJ.

NOCTIUM ATTICARUM libri. XX Colophon.. [Parisiis] in edib' qdē Ascensianis. . M. D. XI. Small 4to. in the original calf binding (rebacked)

1511

This seems to be an English binding; blind tooled in compartments with a border of foliage, fruits, beasts, and birds, and having for its centrepiece on the upper cover the Tudor rose with a dragon on the (spectator's) left, and an animal which may be intended for an antelope or a greyhound on the right. It looks like the badge and supporters of Henry VII (the heart of the rose granulated) who had died a couple of

40 0 0

6 15 0